Conveyer feeding system



J. W. STILES April 6 CONVE ER FEEDIEG SYSTEM Filecl April 14, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- JOI-INY W. ST ILES ATTO RN EY J. W. sTiLEs2,315,880..

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvl-:NTOR JOHN W. STILES BY Y CONVEYER FEEDING SYSTEMFiled April 14, 1942 April 6, 1943.

vm. \WNSN ATTORNEY J. W. STLES April e, i943.

coNvEYER PFEDING SYSTEM Filed April. 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 S E mm wT N.\\ W wm MN m mf# w \m Mxmm JY m B \m m@ NQ NN www Nm. @Fvg MW D DD-Hnu Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE coNvEYEaFEEDING SYSTEM John w. stm-s, New York, N. Y. Application April 14,1942, semi No. 433,965

s claims. (ci. 19a-s2) This invention relates to a conveyer feedingsystem for discharging upon a conveyer belt a continuous line of units.

In effecting continuous feeds to' a main conveyer belt of such units asbottles, jars and containers, the two most commonly employed systems forthis purpose embody the so-called rotary and straight-line types ofconstruction. In the'former type, a plurality of articles to be fed areplaced upon a rotatable table which spins about its axis to dischargethe units through a gate onto an adjacent conveyer belt. It has beenfound that devices oi this category cannot be operated at too great aspeed in view of the effects of centrifugal force, the articles,particularly when they are relatively tall, being tipped over when thetable exceeds certain speed limits. In apparatus of the latter categorythere is the inherent fault that there are interruptions to thecontinuous feedof the units to the main conveyer belt, gaps oftenoccurring between successive units. This shortcoming of straight-linefeed devices is generally due to the fact that they are not providedwith automatic means for causing a continuous succession of units topass through the gate, making it necessary to employ manual means toaccomplish this result. And even when an operator manually feeds theunitstowards the gate, jam ming frequently occurs, causinginterruptions, breakage or other trouble. present in the saidconventional feeding systems not only reduce the quantity of units fed,but make it practically impossible to obtain a positive and accuratecount of the units based upon a predetermined rate of discharge. It ishence primarily within the contemplation of my invention to obviate theaforesaid shortcomings in a conveyer feeding system, an objective winchI accomplish by providing means to automatically feed a continuous anduninterrupted supply of the units to the discharge gate, and byproviding oscillating means for preventing a jamming of the units upondischarge to the main conveyer belt.

And in the above-referred-to aspect of my invention, it is a furtherobject to permit a quick loading of the apparatus from cartonscontaining quantities of the units, and to effectuate an automaticunscrambling of the units for uninterrupted discharge through the gate.

It is a further object of my invention to accomplish the aforesaidobjectives in a manner to obviate the necessity of handling the units bythe operators, thereby complying. with certain sanitary requirements.

It is within the further contemplation of my invention to provide anapparatus of the aforesaid category with means for enabling it to bereadily transformed from a. right hand to a left hand dischargingdevice, and vice versa.

And it is a further object of this invention to These short comings genable the aforesaid objectives to bey attained by means of a simple,self-contained and portablev unit.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings andthedescription hereinafter given.

a of Figure 1 taken along line 2-2.

Figure 3 is a side view, with parts broken away for purposes ofclarification, of the device ot Figurev 1, vshowing the tilting tablethereof in its two limiting positions.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the conveyerbelts, vguide rail and top plate removed. 1

Figure 5 is an end view of the guide railand yieldable mounting, lookingin the direction of line 6 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section of Figure 1 taken substantially alongline 6 3, and

Figure 7 is a vfragmentary section of Figure 6 v taken along line 'I-l.

In the drawings, the unit constituting the invention containsthreecontinuous feeding belts III, II and I2, these being preferably-ofthe openlink chain type with smooth upper surfaces. Intermediate thesebelts are the separators I3 and I4, each consisting,l in the preferredform, of an I-beam with a lower flange I5 underlying the adjacent beltsand a small upper flange I6 at the level of the said conveyor belts, asindicated inY Figure 2. These belts are operated, in a manner to be morespecifically hereinafter described, at`

different speeds', the preferred arrangement being such that end-belt I0is operated at a relatively low speed, intermediate belt I I at agreater speed, and end belt I2 at a higher speed substantially equal tothat of the main conveyer belt I'I .upon which the units being fed areto be discharged, ask

will hereinafter appear.

Each of the feed belts isin coactive engagement with two suitablesprocket; wheels, belt I0 being in engagement with wheels I8 and I9,belt I'I with wheels .20. and 2|, and beltf I2 withy wheels4 22 and 23.AWheels I8, 20 and 22 are rotatably mounted on shaft 24 supported bybrackets 25 and 26,-suitably secured to walls 21 and 23, respectively,at the sides of the unit. Sprocket wheels I9, 2I `and 23 containk hubs29, 30 and 3|, respectively. rotatably mountedV upon shaft 32 supportedby brackets 33 and 3|, respectively,

, securedto said walls Z'I and 23`. Fixedly mounted upon said hubs arepulleys 35, 36 and 31, respectively, these pulleys beingoperativelyconnected by belts 38, 33 and 40 to coacting pulleys 4I, 42

and 33, respectively. Said latter pulleys are flxedly mounted upondriver pulley shaft 33 rotatably supported by bearings 33 and 43suitably secured to said walls 21 and 23. The ratios of the saidcoacting pulleys are such that sprocket wheel I3 operates at arelatively slow speed, and wheels 2| and 23 at successively greaterpredetermined speeds, the speed of .sprocket wheel 23 being preferablysuch that coacting belt I2 will have alinear speed substantially equalto that of nain conveyer belt |1.

Fixedly mounted on said shaft 33 is the pulley 31, said pulley beingoperatively connected by belt 33 withvpulley 33 operatively associatedwith suitable gears in gear reduction box 53. A pulley 3| is ilxedlymounted upon shaft 32 associated with said gear reduction box 33, thebelt 33 connecting said pulley 3| with expansible pulley 33 rotatablyassociated with motor 33. Said motor is slidably mounted upon the guidebase member 33 and is adapted to move transversely thereon.4

The framework of the' motor is operatively associated with the carrierscrew 31 in threaded engagement with stationary bearing 33 andassociated with handle 33.

The arrangement is such that upon an operative rotation of said handle,the motor will be moved along guide member 33 transversely with respectto the axis of the motor, thereby varying .the distance between the axesof pulleys 33 and 3|. When said pulleys are'operatively brought closertogether, the tension on belt 33 will be reduced, permitting theperiphery of expansible pulley 33 to expand; and when the distancebetween said pulleys is increased, the tension in said belt I3 isincreased, thereby causing a contraction of the periphery of pulley 33,In this manner the diametral ratios between pulleys 3| and 33 can bealtered for' the purpose of controlling the speed of rotation of pulley3|, and consequently of the three driver sprocket wheels I3, 2| and 23and their associated conveyer belts. The expansible pulley 33 is ofconventional construction, and a description thereof will not be givenherein inasmuch as it is well known in the art.

The wells or pistes 21 and 2s, m the preferred form of my invention,each contain vertical extensions ,33 and 3| provided with longitudinalslots 32 and 33, respectively. In slidable engagement with one of saidextensions, such as extenvsion 3|, is the gate member 33 secured inplace at a predetermined position by means of the bolt and nutassemblies 33 and 33 coactively associated with said slot 33. VIn thepreferred form of this invention, the said gate contains an outwardlycurved discharge portion 31 to provide a discharge aperture 33 betweenthe gate and the discharge side of the oscillating guide rail |53 to behereinafter described. By suitably adjusting the said gate 33, the widthof said opening 33 can be varied in accordance with the size andconfiguration of the articles to-be discharged.

The said guide rail 33 contains, in the preferred form, a pivoting Apostor hinge operatively supporting a plurality of rail bars 1|. The saidhinge post 13 supported, in a manner to be hereinafter d at the regionof -discharge opening 33 opposite that of the discharge extremity ofgate 33, the said guide rail extending obliquely forwardly across thethree feed belts i0, and |2, and therebeyond for coactive yassociationwith the vertical oscillator actuating rod 12. The said rod extendsthrough two looped portions 13 of rail 33 preferably at the upper andlower of the bars 1 I. As will be noted, these 100Ded portions aredisposed at the extremity of the guide rail 33 opposite the hinge post13 and are formed by U-shapedmembers 13 attached to said bars to formlaterally enclosed apertures 1.3 of a width to permit the oscillator rod12 tn slidably move therealong.

As clearly shown in Figures 8 and 7, said oscillator rod 12 also extendsthrough and is slidably engageable with the walls of the aperturedportion 13 disposed within oscillator plate 11 suitably attached to wail21, apertures 13 and 13 being in intersecting relation. The saidapertured portion 13 extends longitudinally of the feed belts |3, and|2. The said rod 12 carries the disc 13 slidably movable upon the uppersurface of plate 11, thereby supporting rod 12 in its operative uprightposition. The said rod is attached at its lower extremity to carrier 13disposed below plate 11 and in rollable engagement -lated, rod 12 beingreciprocatingly moved within slot 13, thereby causing a correspondingpivotal oscillation of guide rail 33.

The hinge post 13 of guide rail 33 is rotatably supported by hinge rings33 carried by the rods 9| extending through holesv 32 and 33 in thesupporting bracket 33. Said rods 3| have affixed thereto the collar 33to hold the hinge rings 33 and consequently the guide rail 33 againstforward movement beyond the predetermined position at which the rail isinitially set. Surmounted over the rods 3| are the helical springs 33disposed between collars 33 and wall 31, thereby permitting a rearwardyieldable movement of the hinge rings 33 and consequently of the guiderail 33. I'

The forward portion of the apparatus is provided with a loading table 33containing a platform 33 tiltable between loading and unloadingpositions as indicated in Figure 3. Speciflcally,

- the underside of the platform is pivotally secured to the bracket |33attached to the forward portion of the structure. A stop member |0|`serves to support the platform in its receiving position from which itis manually elevated to the unloading position indicated by broken linesin said Figure 3.

In the operation of this apparatus, a box or carton |32 containingtherein the units |3211 to be conveyed, shown in the drawings as bottlesis placed upon the table 33, the underside of the carton being open; andthereafter the table is elevated to the unloading position and thecarton slid forwardly over the moving feed belts |3, and |2 to dischargethe units |32a upon such belts,the carton being raised to free thebottles. and permit them to freely move upon the ture 68 and dischargedon to the main conveyer belt I1. v

It is apparent that belt, i2 receives bottles not only from theaforesaid carton |02, but also from the belts I and II,-belt ilreceiving its bottles from both the table 88 and belt il.- It is thusobvious that the discharge portion of conveyer belt i2 receives thebottles from several sources, so that there are no gaps betweensuccessive bottles passing through the' gate. In the conventionalstructures provided' with a single conveyer belt, any gap between thebottles occurring at the time of unloading from the carton would alsoappear at the discharge portion of the belt. .The arrangement ofprogressively increasing speeds of the three belts alsoserves to preventa crowding of the bottles inasmuch as they are not all delivered to thedischarge gate at the same time but rather over a period of timedetermined by the differential in speeds between the belts.

The continuous oscillation of the guide rail 69 has been found toprevent any accidental jamming at the discharge aperture 88. Inasmuch asthe maximum movement of the guide rail occurs at the end thereoffarthest removed from the gate, the amplitude of oscillation at the gateis relatively small, causing relatively small impulses directed againstcontiguous bottles. It has been found that these impulses are suilicientto cause a displacement of one of any two abutting bottles attempting topass through,

whereby only one is carried forward to the main conveyer belt l1. It hasalso been observed that with this arrangement, round or cylindricalbottles are caused to rotate one against the other, thereby facilitatingejection.

It is of course understood that the width of aperture 68, instead of alateral portion thereof as shown in Figure 1.

Should it be desired to effect a discharge of the umts at the side ofthe apparatus opposite to that shown in the drawings, such a reversal ispossible by a shifting of certain of the elements. The bracket I4 isshown mounted upon rear cover plate ill and secured at the holes 1M.This bracket can be transferred to the opposite side of plate III, andsecured to the holes ill, The plate 'I1 can be removed from thepositiony indicated on the drawings, and transferred to the oppositeside of the device for attachment to wall 28 substantially at the boltholes |06. The shaft 44 can be detached from the position shown inFigure 4, and reversed; and the coacting pulleys 3l, I0 and I1 andassociated parts can correspondingly be reversed in position so thatbelt Il will operate at the greatest speed and belts Il and l2 atsuccessively lower speeds. A gate like I4 can be positionedadjacent theextension wall 8l extending upwardly from wall 21. Upon a reversal ofthe position of guide rail B9, and an assembly thereof with respect tothe coacting parts, it is evident 4that 4the discharge can be effectedon the side opposite'to that shown in the drawings: l

It is further to be observed that the entire unit is self-contained, andis readily portable and adjustably supported thereon by legs Il'l.

It is of course understood that the embodiment above-described and shownin the drawings is illustrative of my invention and is not employed byway of limitation, inasmuch as numerous changes and modincations may bemade therein within the scope of .the appended. claims withdischargeaperture 68 must be adjusted in acl cordance with the size of the unitsbeing discharged, the adjustment taking place by a slidable movement ofgate member 64 along extension 6i, the bolt and screw assemblies 65 and66 being suitably manipulated for the purpose.

To further prevent a jamming, the`springs 08 come into play, permittingthe hinge rings 90 and consequently the guide rail 69 to be yieldablyretracted a sufficient amount to permit one of two abutting units at thedischarge end to be ejected. Although it has been found that theoscillating action of the guide rail 69 is in itself effective inpreventing a jamming,'the use of the yieldable hinge arrangementconstitutes a greater insurance in this respect and enhances the' smoothoperation of the device.

M y system as above described is therefore capable of automaticallyfeeding, without manual manipulation, a continuous supply of units tothe main conveyer belt, and at an uninterrupted and uniform rate.enabling accurate counts to be obtained onvthe basis of rate ofdischarge.

It is preferred that the upper surface of belts i0, Il and i2 be smoothand as frictioniess as possible, to permit an easy sliding movement ofthe units in being transferred from one belt to 'the other.

It is to be further observed that this apparatus is not necessarilylimited for discharging upon a main conveyer belt running parallel withthe feeding belts I0, il and i2, inasmuch as it can discharge equally aswell upon a main belt disposed at right angles lto -the feeding beltswhere a terminal receiving portion of the main conveyer belt will bedisposed adjacent discharge gate adjacent the outer invention.

out departing from the spirit of thi Wh t paratus for feeding v'.iarnainconvelingvat a predetermined speed,

veyei" a plurality of parallel adjacent feed ,belts, unitary loadingmeans lextending transversely over the forward portions of all o aidfeed belts whereby they may all be simult" eou'sly loaded, one of theend feed belts having` .outer lateral edge adjacent said main beltpadjustable discharge ge offsaid end belt, means to actuate said belts atdifferent predetermined speeds, the speed of said end feed belt lbeinggreatest and that lof the others decreasing progressively towards theopposite end belt, and c guide rail disposed over and extendingobliquely across said feed belts forwardly from a predetermined pointbehind said gate thereby forming a discharge opening, said'gate beingadjustably movable with respect to the rail to vary the size of saiddischarge opening. whereby units of predetermined sizes traveling onsaid feed-belts will be deflected by said'guide rail from the slower tothe faster moving belts and towards said opening for discharge upon saidmain conveyer belt.

2. In an apparatus for feeding a main vconveyer belt, a. plurality ofparallel adjacent feed belts, means to actuate said belts at variouspredetermined speeds, loading means disposed over the forward portionsof each of said feed belts whereby they may all be simultaneouslyloaded. an open discharge gate adjacent one of the end belts and inclose proximity to said main conveyer belt, and a guide rail yieldablymounted behind said gate and extending obliquely'and forwardly therefromacross said feed,l belts',

be deflected by said guide means towards said ga? and discharged uponsaid main conveyer bel 3. In an apparatus for feeding'a mainv conveyerbelt, a plurality of parallel adjacent feed belts, means to actuate saidbelts atvarious predetermined speeds, loading means disposed over theforward portions of each of said feed belts whereby they may all besimultaneui'yeloaded, an open discharge gate adjacent one of the endbelts and in close proximity to said main oonveyer belt, a guide railmounted behind said gate and extending obllquely and forwardly therefromacross said feed belts, yieldable means associated with the mounting forsaid rail for yleldably permitting a rearward movement of said rail, andstop means for holding the rail at the said mounting thereof againstforward movement, whereby units of predetermined proportions travelingon said feed belts will be deilected by said guide rail towards saidgate and discharged upon said vmain conveyer belt.

4. In an apparatus for feeding a main conveyer belt, a plurality ofparallel adjacent feed belts, means to actuate said belts at variouspredetermined speeds, loading means disposed over the forward portionsof each of said feed` belts whereby they may all be simultaneouslyloaded, an open discharge gate adjacent one oi the end belts and inclose proximity to said main conveyer belt, a guide rail yieldably andpivotally mounted behind said gate and extending obliquely and forwardlytherefrom across said feed belts, and oscillating means pivotallyactuating said rail about its mounting, whereby units of predeterminedproportions traveling on said. feed belts will be deflected by saidguide rail towards said gate and discharged upon said main conveyerbelt.

5'. In an apparatus for feeding a main conveyer belt, a plurality ofparallel adjacent feed belts, means to actuate said belts at variouspredetermined speeds, an open discharge gate adjacent one of the endbelts and in close proximity to said main conveyer belt, a guide raildisposed over and extending obllquely across said feed belts forwardlyfrom a predetermined point behind said gate, said rail containing ahinge post in the region of said gate, and a mounting associated withsaid post comprising a bracket member,

hinge rings in rotatable and supporting engageallowing a rearwardmovement of the hinge rings and r-ail, and stop means for limiting theforward movement of the said rods and the parts carried thereby, wherebyunits of predetermined proportions traveling on said feed belts will bedeflected by said guide rail towards said gate and discharged upon saidmain conveyer belt.

6. In an apparatus for feeding a main con'- veyer belt, a plurality ofparallel adjacent feed belts, driving means to actuate said belts atvarious predetermined speeds, an open discharge gate adjacent one of theend belts and in close proximity to said main conveyer belt, a guiderail pivotally mounted behind said gate and extending obllquely andforwardly therefrom across said feed belts a predetermined distancetherebeyond, a vertical oscillator rod in slldable engagement with theterminal portion of the rail opposite its pivotal mounting, slottedguide means extending substantially longitudinally of the feed belts andin slldable engagement with said rod. and eccentric means operativelyconnecting said driving means with said rod, whereby said rail will beoscillated about its pivotal mounting and units traveling on said feedbelts will be deflected by said guide rail towards said gate anddischarged upon said main conveyer belt.

7. In an apparatus for feeding a main conveyer belt, a plurality ofparallel adjacent feed belts, means to actuate said belts at variouspredetermined speeds, a casing containing said feed belts and actuatingmeans, Iat least one of the lateral walls of said casing containing atthe upper edge thereof'a vertical extension, a gate member in slidableengagement withsaid extension and movable substantially longitudinallytherealong, releasable securing means for adjustably securing said gatemember to said extension, the rear portion of said gate member beingoutwardly curved and disposed in close proximity to said main conveyerbelt, and guide means disposed over and extending obllquely across saidfeed belts forwardly from a point a predetermined distance behind saidgate member, whereby units traveling on said feed belts will bedeflected by said guide means towards said gate for discharge upon saidmain conveyer belt.

`8. In an apparatus for feeding a main conveyer belt, a plurality ofparallel adjacent feed belts, means to actuate said belts at variouspredetermined speeds, a casing containing said feed belts and actuatingmeans, the actuating means for the feed belts containing a motor, adriving wheel coactively associated with each of said feed belts, awheel-supporting shaft rotatably supporting said wheels -atpredetermined positions thereon, said shaft extending transversely ofthe casing and being detachably and reversibly secured to the lateralwalls thereof, and an intermediate drive shaft operatively connectingsaid motor with each of said driving wheels, said intermedif ate shaft.being rotatably and reversibly secured to the said lateral walls of thecasing, said lateral walls leach containing at the upper edges thereof avertical extension, a. gate member in slldable engagement with one ofsaid extensions and provided with releasable securing means foradjustably securing said gate member tc the extension, a guide railadapted to be pivotally mounted at a predetermined point behind saidgate member and extending obllquely and forwardly therefrom across saidfeed belts, a cover plate over said casing to the rear of said guiderail, the pivotal mounting for the rail containing hinge means and abracket supporting'such means, said bracket being supportable by said'cover plate at predetermined portions at either of the lateral sidesthereof, thereby permitting a reversal of the position of the bracket,oscillator actuating means associated with said intermediate shaft andsaid guide rail opposite the pivotal terminal thereof for imparting anoscillatory movement of the rail about is mounting, and means at each ofsaid lateral walls for operatively supporting said oscillator actuatingmeans when 4 operatively positioned thereat, whereby the apparatus canbe operated for either right hand or left hand feeding.

vJOHN W. STILES.

